Studieblad met schapen te Exloo c. 1904 - 1912

This is a drawing of sheep near Exloo, sketched by Ferdinand Oldewelt. I love the light touch of Oldewelt’s pencil. He captures the sheep with such quick, gestural marks. It’s like he’s trying to catch them before they move. I can imagine him outside with his sketchbook, rapidly trying to get the shapes down before they wander off. See how he uses shading to give them volume, but keeps the outlines loose and undefined? There's a freedom in that, a sense of not needing to be precise. I wonder, was he thinking of other artists when he made this? Maybe someone like Daumier who also had such a keen eye for capturing everyday life. Drawing like this reminds me that art is really just a conversation across time, with artists responding to one another, building on what came before. It’s nice to think of Oldewelt out there, drawing his sheep, adding his voice to that ongoing conversation.